​​The oldest self-built float in the rose parade

1960

But Mommy, He Followed Me Home
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1962

First with Magellan
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1968

Taste of Honey
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Three Coins in the Fountain
1961 Official Tournament of Roses Parade Parade Souvenir Program

1961



Diamond Jubilee
The neighboring city of South Pasadena observes the 75th anniversary of it’s founding with a sparkling entry “Diamond Jubilee”. The attractive community, incorporated on March 2, 1988, appropriately presents an entry consisting of pendants of glistening jewels. A wide variety of flowers were used in abundance to achieve this motif.

Source: 1963 Official Tournament of Roses Parade Souvenir Program

1963



Security
​South Pasadena renders its 45th entry in the Tournament of Roses with a depiction of “Peace” by peanuts cartoon characters of Charles M. Schulz, Linus and Snoopy. Again, South Pasadena citizens banded together in a spirit of cooperation to design, finance, construct and decorate the clever entry.

Source: 1964 Official Tournament of Roses Parade Souvenir Program

1964



Tomorrow's Headlines / It's a Small World
Fred Merrill and John Demaree of Demaree & Merrill, a South Pas design firm decided to get involved in the 1965 Parade, float building was taken to new heights, depths, and atmospheres. Their first entry, “Tomorrow’s Headlines,” featured a supersonic jet cantilevered out in front of the float, leaving behind a fiery trail of exhaust. It won a first prize for civic entries, but the firm had loftier expectations. The following year, they entered “It's a Small World,” featuring a astronaut peeking out of his space capsule which had landed on a foreign planet. Greeting him was a large, long-necked, heart-shaped creature whose face contained big doe-eyes and a giant pair of Marilyn Monroe lips poised to kiss her invader. The float won South Pas the Mayor’s Trophy.

Excerpt from The South Pas Float Story-2006 Official Souvenir “a History of Doing it Ourselves“ by Jim Taveres

1965 & 1966



Voyage to Atlantis
In 1967, Fred Merrill and John Demaree broke out of the box of creating a float of a single vehicle and produced “Voyage to Atlantis.” Depicting three leaping dolphins suspended in mid-air over the street, towing a clamshell filled with Grecian-gowned maidens on a floral sea, the float was surrounded by four smaller, satellite floats in the form of fish. The entry, which still looks exquisite even by today’s standards, was awarded South Pasadena’s second Sweepstakes trophy as the most outstanding float in the Parade.

Excerpt from The South Pas Float Story-2006 Official Souvenir “a History of Doing it Ourselves“ by Jim Taveres

1967



Friends of Dr. Seuss
The entry of the city of South Pasadena, “Friends of Dr. Seuss,” is action packed. There is lots of movement and animation. Rather than follow the center line on Colorado Boulevard as is normal, the novel float winds its way down the street. It turns to the left, turns to the right, zig-zags, make figure eights and then moves along in long, beautiful curves.

Source: 1969 Official Tournament of Roses Parade Souvenir Program

1969